


A Family Reunion

by C-chan (1001paperboxes)



Category: Kamen Rider Zero-One
Genre: Gen, Mentioned Ansatsu-chan | Little Assassin (Kamen Rider Zero-One), Post-Kamen Rider Zero-One, Referenced Humagear Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28309041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1001paperboxes/pseuds/C-chan
Summary: In which Jin endeavours to get his whole family in one place once again, with Naki's help.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27
Collections: Another Toku Holiday Special (2020)





	A Family Reunion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [27twinsister](https://archiveofourown.org/users/27twinsister/gifts).



Humagears weren’t supposed to have families.

Sure, a humagear was often considered part of the human family that had adopted it, if it was put into that kind of arrangement, and even in the case of some small family businesses, humagears were learning and mastering the trade as though they were living and breathing progeny. But among themselves, humagear families generally weren’t a thing. After all, there was very little reason for anyone to order a set of robots with strong familial bonds, and if they were to exist, it would almost certainly be for demonstrative purposes and no more. Or, like with Ikazuchi and Subaru, just a case of old models and new models fulfilling the same role. 

That’s what made Metsubojinrai.net so special. Jin had a father, and siblings, and a whole family all of his own. And all of them were humagears. Just like him.

It was hard to get everyone together, now that they were living in a post-Arc world. Before, they might not have all been together at the same time, but at least there was more than just him and his dad.

"I want to see everyone again," Jin sighed, squatting down as he surveyed the city from their rooftop perch.

Beside him, Horobi simulated a sigh, patted Jin's hair, and then sat down himself.

"You know, we might be due for a family reunion."

Jin's eyes lit up. "You mean it?"

Horobi shrugged. "It would be good to check in with everyone on their various pursuits, and see if we can discuss strategy. After all, it will take our combined efforts to make up for the sins of our past, and ensure that the Arc can, in no way, return."

"I'll invite everyone!" Jin exclaimed, springing to his feet. "It'll be the best!"

And with that, Jin was off, already calculating the best order of attack in order to reach everyone, and researching what it would take to transmit an invitation to someone off-planet.

* * *

In the end, he started with Ikazuchi, or Raiden, as he'd once again returned to being called. After all, it was much easier to clear schedules on earth than it was to change a shuttle launch or landing date.

The trick, he'd learned, was to keep the message simple, and send it repeatedly. That way, even if it got disrupted, eventually enough would be sent through to understand.

_Planning a reunion. Will you come? Planning a reunion. Will you come? Planning a reunion. Will you come?_

The answer came faster than e expected: _Subaru too? Subaru too? Subaru too?_

He sent back a string of yesses, and then Raiden was sharing schedule documents, and dates were chosen and attendance planned.

And maybe Subaru would mean that there was more than just Metsubojinrai.net there, but there was always room for one more brother in his family.

* * *

A.I.M.S. headquarters still made Jin feel a little uncomfortable, so he invited Naki out for lunch instead. Or, rather, out to sit at a picnic bench in a local park, since Naki was still afforded the time of a lunch break without the actual need to eat or rest mid-day.

They had tilted their head at the offer of a reunion, and their eyes flashed as they downloaded relevant information before nodding.

"I believe I agree with Horobi," they said at last. "Such a gathering is sure to be mutually beneficial, and will allow for the easy transfer of non-classified material to and from all parties. If you are so inclined, I would like to help plan this event."

Jin smiled. His little-big sibling was the _best_.

* * *

They continued meeting over Naki's lunch breaks at various locations around the city. Sometimes in the park, sometimes on a rooftop, sometimes at an empty outdoor café table, where they could see how long it took until someone realized they weren't even capable of eating or drinking. Sometimes Horobi came along, but normally it was just Jin and Naki, enjoying sibling time together while Dad was out on patrol.

Naki had a better sense of venues than Jin or Horobi—doubly so because they had more human contacts than either of the other two. They were the one to secure a place for their reunion, renting a party room under Fuwa's name. (They'd discussed meeting back at their old headquarters, and had quickly agreed that it was a bad idea. Too many memories, too much possibility of the Arc finding them there.

They were halfway through explaining how they could ensure an even arrangement of five chairs around a round table when Jin found his memory banks bringing up images of a forehead tattoo, and sound clips of "your little brother".

"Is something the matter?" Naki wondered. "I assure you, ensuring seventy-two degrees of separation will be much easier than it sounds, particularly for Subaru and Raiden."

"But there should be a sixth person there," Jin explained.

Naki frowned. "Metsubojinrai.net was created to be a four person unit. Although, technically, the Arc was the head of the Metsubojinrai.net family, and Azu, therefore, would qualify. Will she be invited to the reunion as well?"

Jin shook his head so hard, he was fairly sure he felt a circuit bust out of place. He made a mental note to have Horobi check it that night.

"What, then?"

"There was someone else," Jin explained. "It happened while you were sleeping in the human's head. Horobi brought me home a little brother, to be our assassin. He went through four bodies before we gave up."

Naki's head tilted again, making sense of the information, of Jin's expressions. "You miss him."

"I do," Jin agreed. "I liked having a little brother. He was a lot of fun. And a very good fighter."

"We could commission a new one," Naki offered. "I'm sure there are enough favours owed between various factions that we could commission Hiden…"

"But it wouldn't be good to make an assassin now." Jin pointed out. "I guess my baby brother doesn't have a place in this new world."

"Ah. Perhaps not," Naki replied. "Still, I am sorry for your loss."

Jin bowed his head. "Thank you."

* * *

There wasn't much to do to prepare for the gathering, though Jin still insisted on buying decorations, and placing balloons and streamers along the walls. The end result was a little juvenile, perhaps, but it was festive. It felt more like the celebration that Jin wanted it to be.

His family was going to be together again after so long.

There were six chairs around the circular table, each with a party hat in front of it. Horobi raised his eyes in question when he saw, and Jin wasn't quite sure if it was due to the number, or due to the hats, but he put on the purple hat at his spot anyway, making Jin grin as he donned a similar one in pink.

And then, everyone else arrived. Naki brought power cables, pointing out that electricity was as close as they could come to human party snacks. The Uchuyaro brothers arrived, and Subaru helped Raiden don a yellow hat before they started telling stories about space, and how Hiden Aruto was still horrible about waiting the proper amount of time between requisition requests.

And then, after they had all settled in, another knock came at the door.

Horobi raised his eyebrows, but it was Naki who stood.

"I believe our special guest has arrived."

"Special guest?" Raiden asked, and Jin shrugged, but Naki just made their way to the door, and opened it to reveal a nervous-looking humagear on the other side.

The forehead tattoo was familiar. The eyes and the nose were familiar. He wasn't carrying a gun, and that was new, as was the mask perched upon the side of his head. But still, there was no mistaking who that was.

"Little Assassin…" Jin said, getting to his feet.

"Matsurida Z No. 5," Naki corrected. "This is the last of the set that your brother was made from. I am aware that this is not quite the same, and that there may be some trepidations all around. However, we all now work to protect human's smiles in our own ways. I believe that with this common ground, he will make a good addition to our team."

"What do you think?" Jin asked, schooling his smile to be smaller and more cautious. "Would you like to be my little brother?"

The humagear took a few steps into the room, surveyed everything once more, and gave a polite bow. "I miss my brothers, just like you. I think, with our goals aligning, I'd be willing to try."

Perhaps this would be the only time that Metsubojinrai.net would meet like this. Perhaps the world would blow up tomorrow, or the Arc would corrupt them, or any number of bad things would happen. But Jin hoped, as he looked around at humagears old and new, that this would be the first of many such reunions, and the start of their very own family tradition.


End file.
